While you were sleeping....

After a weekend of bank holiday shenanigans....the body clock is a bit out. Hence at one in the morning....armed with a Rimmel coral shade and Essence tip painter, I produced this. The pictures indicate a pink tone but trust me they're coral....

ebay, cnd, and me

So it was a week of "firsts" (if only on a small scale)!


1. I ventured into the world of Ebay shopping!

Great to buy beauty products online within Ireland it seems!!


2. I purchased this product!!!!

CND Solar Oil

I take internet investments very seriously ....ahem.....

So, having read many reviews such as these.....http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=5233/Solar_Oil/Creative_Nail_Design/Treatments....I took the plunge.....

Today is day 3.... and as of yet I have not seen the miraculous results....patience is not a virtue I was blessed with!

However it is very much a HG product!!! ( H.G. = holy grail ....Only learned that recently. Where have I been!!!). Fingers and nails crossed!

What time is it????

Have I mentioned my obsession with watches yet?? And my inclination to wear more than one? (ok that second part is an exaggeration).

Check out part of the collection.....

Photo ph-un

So for the last few weeks (pre and post the festive season) I have had the joy of facilitating an Intergenerational Photo Group!!!

I emphasise the facilitation element. There is in fact a tutor in situ who I've been learning plenty from!!

What is an Intergenerational Photo Group I hear you yell!!......ahem.

Well it's a community project to bring some younger members of our community together with older members with a common pursuit - that is to prepare photos for an exhibition based on the concept of Young and Old. All of this ties in neatly with 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity.
 http://www.age-platform.eu/en/2012-european-year-on-active-ageing-and-intergenerational-solidarity

How I got roped into this is a whole other story !!

However, along the way I am learning plenty myself, using my personal digital camera. We have been using Picasa to edit our photos -  http://picasa.google.com/. Two weeks ago we learned that the Picnik (an editing tool within Picasa) is now a free service as its due to close in the middle of April (sob).

I have now become fascinated with the wonders of Picnik, and would definitely recommend playing around with it before it comes to an end.

Lesson no. 12: How to use a smartphone

The last few days have been stressful as I get used to my first ever smartphone - a dinky little Galaxy Mini. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a major technophobe. So this has been a major journey. haha. And here's the next step: a blog from my smartphone. And a uploaded photo. I have to say I am quite proud of myself.

Lesson No.11: How to plant an Asiatic Lily

Brace yourselves Ladies and Gentlemen.....

I have just planted my first ever plant.

B & Q is the new River Island.....

Well not quite, but it's a start for me at least.

Here's my new 'baby' - a little orange Asiatic Lily. Oh and there's a little mini conifer tree thing stuck in there behind it (threw out the label so not sure what it's called). 

And check out the little pot (labels still attached, give me time, I'll get there).

I even took the hands on approach. No trowel for me, oh no, I used my hands to dig a little hole in the compost. I'm soooo at one with nature now.  

Luckily no creepy crawlies dared cross my path!

And the weather has been hugely beneficial, I haven't even needed to water the plant. ;)

This gardening melarchy is all very straight forward....for now anyway!!

Me and World War 1

I've always been a bit of History nerd....with a particular interest in social history....

During my degree, I did my thesis on the role of women in World War II in Britain. The interest had come about because my Granny had been a Nurse in Southampton during the war. Over the years, I have been enthralled by books and films set during that era.

However, recently I attended a talk in Cork on the involvement of Irish men, specifically Cork men in the Great War or World War I 1914-1919.

After a chat with some family members, we established that my Great Grandfather had actually served in the British Army during World War I. This was somewhat of a taboo subject in Irish society down through the years - involvement of Irish men in the British army would not have been looked upon favourably. Yet in some cases, needs must, and men were compelled to this because of the wage being offered; others were enticed by the argument that the British government might be more likely to give Ireland its much desired Home Rule if they assisted in the war effort.

We have yet to discover WHY my great-grandad joined the British army??? It's something that I really want to know and may never find out. I do know that he served in the Royal Army Service Corps as a driver and that he went to France after 1916 but that's as far as I've gotten.

Below are some of the posters that Irish people would have seen from 1914 onwards and perhaps it was one of these posters that inspired my great-grandad to sign up.

 

Propoganda much???

Good old stereotyping. All Irish people obviously had a wolfhound at that time

I liked this one alot...

Print is difficult to read in it. But undoubtedly the line where it offers a place in the RIC when the soldier returned from the Front would have been a motivation for some men

Battery dying in camera....hence bad quality